Writer-director-actor John Schneider discovered Livingston Parish in 2012 during a reunion of the cast of “The Dukes of Hazzard”. John, known as “Bo Duke” on the 1970’s classic show has now taken over the campus of Camp Singing Waters in Holden, Louisiana, opening an independent studio to produce films.

Schneider has held a lifelong passion of writing, music, and film and since 2012 has found himself living naturally from his motor home on a friend’s property in Livingston Parish. He got the idea from a friend (Tyler Perry from Hammond, LA) to start his own studio and chose the perfect spot along the banks of the Tickfaw River at Camp Singing Waters.

“Spending every waking moment getting the studio ready and loving it,” Schneider posted recently on his website, thejohnschneider.com.

The studio boasts 5,000 square feet of sound stage with 20 ft. ceilings, a variety of interesting locations to shoot, lakes, swamps, and even a “Southeast Asia” style bamboo forest! His new studio is certain to bring a new caliber of film-making to the Livingston Area.

The movie “Smothered” has already offered the first testimonial to the facility.

“As the first producer to utilize the camp, I have to say it rocked!” wrote Doug Blake. “Plenty of parking, easy access from Baton Rouge, a mess hall and pavilion that was great for cast and crew, and total cooperation from local law enforcement. The total package.”

Schneider describes Louisiana as “a filmmaker’s paradise” because of its diverse locations and the growth of the industry attracted by tax and other incentives that have been developed by state government.